The perfect pairing of the classic Scottish shortbread and the essence of Bergamot flavoured Earl Grey tea is this Earl Grey Shortbread. This shortbread is crumbly buttery and speckled with tea which is then enhanced by pops of cardamom. The perfect accompaniment to coffee or tea for a delicious treat.
With their buttery texture and wonderful flavours, these Earl Grey Shortbread are sure to become a favourite. So easy to make and makes a wonderful treat to share for gifting.
What you need to make Earl Grey Shortbread
- Fridge and Pantry – Butter, Plain Flour and Corn Flour, Caster Sugar, Cardamom Powder and Vanilla. While cardamom is optional, I believe the shortbread taste richer with the addition of cardamom.
- Earl Grey Tea- This blend of black tea is flavoured with oil of Bergamot. Surprisingly the citrus flavour of bergamot complements cardamom. You need the tea leaves( I used Twinings brand Earl Grey but feel free to use any brand) from 2 tea bags which is about 2 teaspoons.
Easy does it…
- Start by finely grinding the tea together with a little bit of flour in a food processor. This will intensify the bergamot flavour in the shortbread. Combine this with the rest of the cornstarch and flour.
- Cream the softened butter vanilla and sugar until pale and fluffy. Add the cardamom, flour/ tea mix and mix on low speed until just combined and forms a soft dough.
- Shape into a log about 6 cm diameter and wrap in plastic wrap. Chill in the fridge for about 2 hours. Chilling makes the dough easier to handle and also allows the flavours to infuse.
- When ready to bake, preheat oven to 175°C. Slice the log of dough into about 1cm thick slices and place in a baking pan which has been lined with baking paper.
- I used a cookie stamper to create the patterns on the shortbread. If you want to do this, let the sliced dough come to room temperature then use a cookie stamp to create the decoration. Then chill in the fridge again before baking. This step ensures that the shortbread does not spread too much and retains it’s shape.
- Bake for about 12 to 15 minutes or until the edges turn light golden. Cool for a few minutes in the baking pan before transferring to a wire rack to cool completely.
Are you a fan of Earl Grey just like me, here’s my recipe for Earl Grey Tea Cake. And while you’re here, please say hello via the comments section below, I would love to hear from you.
Earl Grey Shortbread
12
servings15
minutes15
minutesButtery Shortbread flavoured with Earl Grey Tea
Ingredients
2 cups Plain Flour
1 tablespoon Corn Flour
2 Earl Grey Tea Bags
225g Butter,softened
1/2 cup Caster Sugar
1 teaspoon Vanilla
1 teaspoon Cardamom Powder,optional
Directions
- Combine plain flour and corn flour in a bowl. Set aside
- Remove the tea from the tea bags and place in a food processor. Add about 1/4cup of the flour from step 1 to the tea, and process until finely ground. Adding a little bit of flour while processing makes it easier to finely grind the tea leaves. Add the flour tea mix to the rest of the flour.
- Cream together the caster sugar vanilla and softened butter until pale and fluffy. Add the flour, cardamom powder to the butter mixture and mix on low until just combined and a soft dough is formed. Do not over mix.
- Place the dough into a square of baking paper or plastic wrap and shape into a log. Wrap and chill in the fridge for at least 2 hours. This allows the flavours to infuse and firm up the dough so it’s easier to handle.
- Preheat oven to 175°C. Once the dough is chilled, slice into rounds about 1 cm thick. Place the cookie rounds in a baking paper lined baking sheet.
- Bake in the preheated oven for about 12 to 15 minutes or until the edges are lightly golden. Cool in the baking pan for a few minutes before transferring to a wire rack to cool completely. Store in an airtight container for about a week.
Notes
- Store in an airtight container for a week or so.
